1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a method for switching between security modes for information equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multifunction devices are one example of information equipment that is used for business purposes and called Office Automation (OA) equipment. Such multifunction devices have recently been known as Multi-Function Peripherals (MFPs) having a variety of functions, such as copying, printing, image inputting, fax communication, electronic mail communication, and data storage. Such a multifunction device is connected to an intranet, and operates in response to input operation through an operational panel provided in the multifunction device or in response to access from a computer connected to the intranet.
Such multifunction devices generally have a stored job function. The stored job function herein is used for a case where a job given to the multifunction device is a specific job called a “stored job”. To be specific, the stored job function is to temporarily save such a stored job in the multifunction device instead of promptly executing the job, and to execute the job later at a time when a command to execute the job is issued or when a preprogrammed time is reached. A typical example of the stored job is a security print job. When causing the multifunction device to print a document, a user operating a computer can specify security printing (also called confidential printing). Upon specifying the security printing, the user enters a password for the security print job. The multifunction device stores therein the security print job given from the computer operated by the user. The user reaches the installation location of the multifunction device, enters a password through an operational panel thereof, and instructs the multifunction device to start printing. Responding to the instruction, the multifunction device executes the security print job saved therein. Such security printing enables a user to obtain a printed material of a document on site, which makes it possible to prevent somebody else from taking a look at the printed material or carrying away the printed material.
Further, such multifunction devices generally have a security function. The multifunction device for which security function is set to be available in the operation setting performs user authentication; thereby to prevent unspecified users from using the multifunction device. If a user is not given an access right, he/she is prohibited from accessing data and jobs stored in the multifunction device even if he/she is successfully authenticated through the user authentication.
Multifunction devices having a plurality of security modes are configured to raise or lower the security level thereof depending on the environment for the use thereof and the operational situation thereof. In general, if the security level of a multifunction device is enhanced, the operation thereof becomes complicated. For example, if the security level is raised, a user is required to enter a password having a digit greater than that of a password used before raising the security level. In view of this, it may be conceived that the multifunction device is used in such a manner that the security level thereof is not enhanced usually, and the security mode is appropriately turned into a security enhanced mode if necessary to raise the security level thereof.
There is proposed a conventional technique for switching between security modes of an image forming apparatus (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-294572). According to the technique, if the image forming apparatus stores a confidential job therein at a time when the security mode is turned into a mode for reducing the security level, the image forming apparatus issues a warning and displays information for prompting a user to delete the confidential job, or deletes the confidential job. The technique prevents an undesirable situation in which a person other than the user can easily access the confidential job.
In the case where the security level is enhanced by changing the security mode, a case arises in which a user cannot access, among stored jobs and data that are already saved, stored jobs and data not satisfying security requirements after enhancing the security level. In some cases, for example, a password given to a stored job does not satisfy password regulations after enhancing the security level. In such a case, a password entered by a user is not accepted, so that the user cannot cause the image forming apparatus to execute the stored job.
A case in which a job not satisfying the security requirements remains saved does not correspond to a case in which the security level has been raised. It is possible, therefore, that such a job is forcibly erased. The erasure of the job, however, may confuse a user who is to cause the image forming apparatus to execute the job.